Heatek



Dec. 31, 1935. H. GERsPAcHER HEATER Filed Sept. 1, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 31, 1935. H. GERSPACHER HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. l, 1934 Patented Dec. 31, 1935 UNITED STAT PATE 'l' OFFIQE Application September 9 Claims.

This invention relates to heaters which are known in the trade as a unit heater, and which comprises a self-contained steam generator, such n as those used in heating garages, factories, resi- 5 dences and the like. Heaters of this type,`which have been brought to my attention, and which have utilized gas, as a source of fuel have had al relatively low eii'iciency, because they have not been designed to utilize all of the available heat from the gas. The low operating eiiciency is caused mainly by the fact that the stack losses are exceptionally high. Accordingly, it is an object of my invention to make a unit heater wherein a large percentage of the heat, which is normally lost through the stack is made available for use, wherefore, the resulting heater will deliver a larger quantity of hea-t than others of the same size.

A further object is to make a heater, which has a minimum number of parts, and which is so constructed that the radiating surfaces comprise relatively thin tubes, which are automatically sealed against leakage, when the header tie-bolts are tightened.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a vertical section through -a heater embodying my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 4 4 in Fig. 3, showing a section through one of the radiator tubes and the header; and Fig. 5 illustrates the adaptation of -a heater embodying my invention to a household furnace.

The heater with which I have illustrated my invention has a hollow top member I and a hollow bottom member II, which are preferably castings between which the radiator tubes extend. The upper member has a partition 9, which divides it into a steam chamber I2 and a ue gas chamber I3, while the lower member is intended for a water compartment I4 through which tubular passageways I extend. Such passageways are intended to act as flues for the products of combustion from the gas, which is supplied through a burner I 6. The burner is shown as being located within a burner box I'I, and directly beneath the member II.

'Ihe headers I 0 and Il are separated by two banks of tubes, one of which indicated at I 8 comprises condens-ation tubes, and the other of which, indicated at I9, is used for the Vpassage of ilue gases. The tubes I8, in the preferred construction, have a pressed fit at their ends with nipples which extend downwardly from the steam chamber and with nipples 2| which extend upwardly from the water chamber. Similarly, the flue gas tubes have a pressed fit with nipples 22 which extend downwardly from the ue gas chamber I3, and with nipples 23 which extend upwardly from the member II, and constitute a 1, 1934, Serial No. 742,464

continuation of the passageways I5. I prefer to make the nipples 2l) and 2l separate from the castings, as is shown in greater .detail in Fig. .4, and to taper the tube engaging portion thereof, as indicated at 25, so that the steam tight joint is automatically obtained when the tie bolts 25, which connect the headers at spaced points, are tightened. Such bolt tightening operation also automatically makes a gas-tight joint between the flue gas tubes and their associated nipples.

To force heat into the room in which the heater is located, I utilize a fan 30, which is mounted adjacent an opening 3| in a housing 32. The housing is disposed in back of the heater and encloses the space between the headers. Similarly the sides of the heater are enclosed by plates 33 so that the current of air from the fan is forced through both banks of tubes. If desired, the Y front of the heater may support a frame 34, which carries adjustable louvers 35.

The flue gas chamber I3 is shown, as having a stack opening 40, while the steam chamber is shown as having a safety valve 4I. A suitable Vpressure regulator, indicated at 80 may be connected to the gas line 8l so as to control the supply of fuel to maintain uniform steam pressure.

The increase in eliiciency that is derived from a heater of this type, which I have illustrated, makes it possible to utilize one of these units where ordinarily a larger heater is required. In Fig. 5 I have shown an ordinary household furnace, whose heating capacity is derived solely from the use of one of my unit heaters. I'he usual furnace construction comprises a're pot 50, a radiator 5I, and a warm air dome 52. The air dome is provided with numerous outlets 53, to which the leader pipes for the various rooms of the house are connected. In place of the louvers on the front of the heater, I have provided a collar to which a pipe may be attached. such as 5I. The pipe 6I may be either attached to one of the outlets 53 or an additional opening may be made in the warm air dome to accommo- V date another connection. The fan 30 may then f be operated to force the 'warm air through the 45 piping and into the warm air dome of the furnace, where it may be distributed accordingly.

I have found that this arrangement will satisfactorily heat a house of ordinary size with comfort and that the size of the heater used is rela- 50 tively small in comparison with the large fire box of the furnace, and hence a great saving in fuel cost will result.

A gas heater made in accordance with my in-' vention is extremely light in weight, and therefore, may be readily mounted in an overhead position, which is the most efcient position for heating garages and the like. In this latter arrangement the unit heater may be mounted on 60 a suitable shelf, attached to the wall of the garage in any convenient location.

I therefore claim:-

l. A heater of the character described, comprising in combination, two hollow members disposed adjacent the top and bottom thereof respectively, the top member having a partition therein, which divides it into a flue gas chamber, and a steam chamber, and the lower member forming a water chamber and having gas passageways. extending therethrough, tubes connecting the gas passageways of the lower member With the flue gas chamber of the other member, and other tubes connecting the water chamber with the steam chamber, a burner disposed beneath the lower member to supply hot gases to said gas passageways, a closure for the sides and end of the heater, the end. closure having an opening therein, and a motor-driven fan disposed adjacent the opening and operating to force a moving current of air across the tubes.

2. In a heater, the combination of a water chamber, a steam chamber, and a flue gas chamber, a plurality of steam tubes communicating with the water chamber and the steam chamber, and a similar plurality of tubes communicating With the flue gas chamber, a plurality'of gas passageways within the water chamber each communicating with one of said second mentioned plurality of tubes to allow the passage of iiue gases therethrough, and a gas burner disposed below the water chamber to supply heat thereto, and means for initiating the movement of air over the i'lue gas tubes and the steam tubes.

3. In a heater, the combination of a water chamber, a steam chamber and a flue gas chamber, a plurality of steam tubes communicating with the water chamber and the steam chamber and a similar plurality of tubes communicating with the iiue gas chamber, the flue gas tubes being of a greater diameter than the steam tubes, a plurality of gas passageways within the water chamber each communicating with one of said second mentioned plurality of tubes to allow the passage of flue gases therethrough, and a gas burner disposed below the water chamber to supply heat thereto, and means for initiating thel movement of air over the ue gas tubes in the direction of the steam tubes.

4. In a heater, the combination of a water chamber, a steam chamber, and a flue gas chamber, a plurality of steam tubes communicating with the water chamber and the steam chamber and a similar plurality of tubes communicating with the ue gas chamber, the steam tubes being greater in number than the flue gas tubes, a plurality of gas passageways within the water chamber each communicating with one of said second mentioned plurality of tubes to allow the passage of the flue gases therethrough, and a gas burner disposed below the water chamber to supply heat thereto, and means for initiating the movement of air over the flue gas tubes in the direction of the steam'tubes.

5. A heater, comprising in combination, a Water chamber, a steam chamber, and a flue gas chamber, a plurality of steam tubes communieatingA with the water chamber and the steam chamber, and a similar plurality of tubes communicating with the flue gas chamber, a burnerV disposed below the water chamber to supply hot gases to said last named tubes communicating with the ue gas chamber and extending through the water chamber, a closure for the sides and front of the heater, the end and front closures having openings therein, a motor-driven fan disposed adjacent the opening in the end closure for initiating the movement of air over the uegas tubes and the steam tubes and a collar secured to the opening in the front closure to provide means for attaching the heater to a household hot air system. k

6. A heater having two hollow members adja cent the top and bottom thereof, the top member having a partition therein which divides it into a ilue gas chamber and a steam chamber, and the lower member comprising a water chamber having gas passageways extending therethrough, a burner disposed beneath the lower member to supply hot gases to said gas passage- Ways, banks of tubes'connecting the members, one bank providing condensation tubes between the Water chamber and the steam chamber, and the other bank providing passage for the escape of products of combustion from the gas passageways into the fiu'e gas chamber, and means carried by the heater for moving a current of air across both banks of tubes.

'7. A heater having in combination, two hollow members adjacent the top and bottom thereof, two sets of tubes connecting the members, one of the members comprising a water chamber having passageways extending therethrough and in alignment with one of the sets of tubes for exhausting the products of combustion into a `liue gas chamber, and the other member having a partition therein to divide it into a iiue gas chamber and a steam chamber, the remaining set of tubes connecting the water chamber and the steam chamber, a gas burner disposed beneath the lower member, tie bolts for connecting the upper and lower members at spaced points between the tubes and means carried by the heater at one side thereof for moving a current o air across both banks of tubes` 8. in a heater, the combination of a Water chamber, a steam chamber, a flue gas chamber, and a combustion chamber, the steam and i'lue gas chambers comprising a unitary structure having a partition extending between the chambers, and the combustion chamber being disposed directly beneath the water chamber, a set of tubes providing communication between the water chamber and the steam chamber, a second set of tubes providing communication between the combustion chamber and the flue gas chamber, the last named setof tubes being offset from the first-named set of tubes, and a fan for initiating the movement of air around both setsV of tubes.

9. In a heater, the combination of a Water chamber, a steam chamber, a flue gas chamber, and a combustion chamber, the steam and flue gas chambers comprising a unitary structure having a partition extending between the chambers, and the combustion chamber being disposed directly beneath the water chamber, a set of tubes providing communication between the water chamber and the steam chamber, and a second set of tubes communicating with the flue gas chamber, means for conducting the flue gases from said combustion chamber into the flue gas tubes, and means for initiating the movementof air around both sets of tubes.

HENRY GERSPACHER. 

